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Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Coronavirus

A sign of the COVID testing site of Emerson College and Tufts University.

Monday reports a singular COVID-19 case

By Adri Pray / February 8, 2022

On Monday, Emerson reported one positive COVID-19 test for Friday of the 495 administered, setting the positivity rate at 0.20 percent. Zero cases were...

Snow fluttering down on Boylston Street.

Emerson announces loosened COVID-19 protocols starting Feb. 7

By Vivi Smilgius / February 4, 2022

The college will update its protocols on Feb. 7, allowing non-Emerson guests inside non-residential spaces and requiring community members to get COVID...

COVID testing site locating at 116 Harrison Avenue.

Two positive COVID-19 cases reported Friday by Emerson

By Adri Pray / February 4, 2022

Emerson saw two positive tests on Friday of the 1,064 administered. The positivity rate was reported at 0.19 percent. The college also reported two...

COVID testing site locating at 116 Harrison Avenue.

Emerson’s COVID-19 dashboard continues decline, Thursday sees two positives

By Adri Pray / February 3, 2022

Emerson reported two positive tests on Thursday out of the 1,122 administered Wednesday. The positivity rate sat at 0.18 percent. The college also reported...

COVID testing site locating at 116 Harrison Avenue.

Emerson reports seven positive COVID-19 tests

By Adri Pray / February 2, 2022

Emerson reported seven positive COVID-19 cases Wednesday of the 1,163 tests administered Tuesday, setting the daily positivity rate at 0.60 percent. Four...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Emerson reports six positive COVID-19 tests

By Adri Pray / February 1, 2022

As of Tuesday, Emerson reported six positive COVID-19 cases of the 1,685 tests administered, setting the daily positivity rate at 0.36 percent. Tuesday...

The exterior of the COVID testing site.

Emerson finished January with a 0.60 weekly percent positivity rate, lowest seen since fall 2021 semester

By Adri Pray / February 1, 2022

On Monday, Emerson reported five positive COVID-19 cases of the 689 administered over Friday and Sunday, no information was readily available for Saturday. From...

A sign of the COVID testing site of Emerson College and Tufts University.

Friday’s 0.50 percent daily COVID-19 positivity rate marks fourth consecutive day below 1 percent

By Adri Pray / January 29, 2022

Emerson reported 5 positive COVID-19 cases on Friday of the 1,006 tests administered, setting the daily positivity rate at 0.50 percent, the fourth consecutive...

Greencare KN95 masks (left), which college officials said they provided faculty, and the masks obtained by Beacon staffers (right)

College-supplied masks could possibly be ‘counterfeit,’ warns faculty union

By Bailey Allen / January 27, 2022

Emerson community members are raising concerns about the efficacy of the KN95 masks distributed by the college last week, citing a lack of proper authenticity...

Bags of food in the Dining Center waiting to be delivered to quarantined and isolated students.

Students who test positive experience disorganized isolation periods

By Abigail Lee / January 27, 2022

With COVID-19 cases on campus reaching their highest levels since the outbreak of the pandemic, a high volume of students have been admitted into Emerson’s...

COVID testing site locating at 116 Harrison Avenue.

Emerson breaks 400 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, positivity rate at 2.35 percent

By Adri Pray / January 27, 2022

Emerson has seen 404 positive COVID-19 tests since the spring testing cycle began on Jan. 3, breaking a threshold not seen through the entire pandemic. The...

Emerson's Office of International Student Affairs.

Global rise in COVID-19 cases poses difficulty for international students

By Adri Pray and Gabriel Borges / January 27, 2022

Kevin Wang hasn’t visited his family in China since August. If he wants to return, he’ll have to first endure three weeks in quarantine before spending...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Emerson reports 11 positive COVID-19 tests, lowest single-day total this semester

By Adri Pray / January 25, 2022

Emerson reported 11 positive COVID-19 tests on Tuesday out to the 1,841 administered on Monday. Tuesday’s dashboard update also reported that eight...

Emerson's COVID-19 testing center at the corner of Kneeland Street and Harrison Ave.

Friday sees 11 new COVID-19 cases, lowest single-day this week

By Adri Pray / January 21, 2022

Emerson reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the lowest single-day number this week, and set the daily positivity rate at 1.11 percent. Friday’s...

Bags of food in the Dining Center waiting to be delivered to quarantined and isolated students.

Students split on college’s COVID protocol’s effectiveness upon return to campus

By Hannah Nguyen / January 21, 2022

In an effort to rebuild the “Emerson bubble” in the first weeks of the spring semester, the college imposed several restrictions not seen since the...

Erik Muurisepp sits at his desk on the fourth floor of the Walker Building.

‘Learning to live with the virus’: Emerson reports 31 positive COVID-19 cases Tuesday

By Adri Pray / January 21, 2022

Emerson College has reported 332 positive COVID-19 cases since the start of the spring semester—the highest numbers since the beginning of the pandemic—and...

A sign of the COVID testing site of Emerson College and Tufts University.

Emerson surpasses 350 COVID cases nearly three weeks into semester

By Adri Pray / January 21, 2022

On Thursday, Emerson’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 12 positive tests of the 972 tests administered on Wednesday, setting the daily positivity rate at...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Emerson reports 301 positives two weeks into spring semester

By Adri Pray / January 18, 2022

In just two weeks since the onset of the spring 2022 semester, Emerson has reported a cumulative 301 positive COVID-19 cases. The college has administered...

A group of students walk down Boylston Street wearing masks.

KN95 masks to be made available to students

By Bailey Allen / January 18, 2022

A limited supply of KN95 masks will be available for pick up at the Campus Life Office and Information Desk beginning on Jan. 18, announced college officials...

Paramount residence halls are designated as a quarantine and isolation space in the fall for ill and exposed students.

Non-residential students’ visitation to be restored

By Frankie Rowley / January 17, 2022

Non-residential Emerson students can visit residential halls beginning on Jan. 18, college officials announced on Monday evening.  Starting at 9 a.m....